VTR1000 with a difference
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 133
From: Liverpool, UK
Now with that lot out of the way and a breif brush with the Law, I can get back on with my VTR.
Over the past 12 months though I have stolen that many parts off it, I'll have to go right though the whole thing to find out what I took off.
The main thing is the front end has been completely parted out so I'll have to build it all again.
I had a friend with a CNC machine (roy at Billet Bike Bits) who was happy to make me a set of Yokes for both bikes at a very reasonable price. I didn't know all of the sizes because some of the parts I made no longer exist, so I got him to leave them under machined so I can finish them here and use whatever I can to make them fit. (eg no riser holes and just a 20mm pilot for the stem)
Sorry about the photo, I kill cameras.
I started work on the Yokes (Trees) tonight.
I had a SV650 bottom yoke that will give up a stem for the first one.
The Yoke was too big to fit in the Drill vice, so I had to clamp it to the base plate to open out the hole.
Not ideal, but there is that much play in my drill that there was a bit of carefull guess work anyway.
The last 0.3mm was done in 8 passes without adjusting the boring head at all. The Stem is nearly pressed all the way in now, but it'll take a bit more heat and hammering to get it all the way home and it was too late to be make any more noise. Might try and make a clamp so I can use the ram off my Clarke Bender to get it in the last couple of mm.
Over the past 12 months though I have stolen that many parts off it, I'll have to go right though the whole thing to find out what I took off.
The main thing is the front end has been completely parted out so I'll have to build it all again.
I had a friend with a CNC machine (roy at Billet Bike Bits) who was happy to make me a set of Yokes for both bikes at a very reasonable price. I didn't know all of the sizes because some of the parts I made no longer exist, so I got him to leave them under machined so I can finish them here and use whatever I can to make them fit. (eg no riser holes and just a 20mm pilot for the stem)
Sorry about the photo, I kill cameras.
I started work on the Yokes (Trees) tonight.
I had a SV650 bottom yoke that will give up a stem for the first one.
The Yoke was too big to fit in the Drill vice, so I had to clamp it to the base plate to open out the hole.
Not ideal, but there is that much play in my drill that there was a bit of carefull guess work anyway.
The last 0.3mm was done in 8 passes without adjusting the boring head at all. The Stem is nearly pressed all the way in now, but it'll take a bit more heat and hammering to get it all the way home and it was too late to be make any more noise. Might try and make a clamp so I can use the ram off my Clarke Bender to get it in the last couple of mm.
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MotoGP
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,871
From: Phoenix, AZ
That silver bike has one of the most gorgeous tanks I have ever seen. Seriously good proportions and amazing skills.
Also, the inside pics make your shop look like it could double as a survival bunker
Also, the inside pics make your shop look like it could double as a survival bunker
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From: Liverpool, UK
It no shop bud, it's just a big garden shed. We just bolted 2 sectional garages together.
I made that Tank in Thailand in Febuary. My Friend from Cali has a shop out there and let me use his friends workshop to make it. I'm going back over soon to make a frame for them.
It worked out well concidering the bike was 6000 miles away in Liverpool when I made the tank. Most of the dimentions were guessed by looking at photos of it on the Computer.
I made that Tank in Thailand in Febuary. My Friend from Cali has a shop out there and let me use his friends workshop to make it. I'm going back over soon to make a frame for them.
It worked out well concidering the bike was 6000 miles away in Liverpool when I made the tank. Most of the dimentions were guessed by looking at photos of it on the Computer.
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From: Liverpool, UK
Because the bike wasn't to hand, it was better to leave the tunnel and filler cap until I got it home so I could make it fit the curve on the Back bone as close as possible and blend it into the seat tubes as neat as I could.
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From: Liverpool, UK
It doesn't look like I've done much but I've put a few hours in on this front end every night last week
and all day today.
Its all been about getting the stuff to fit together and making all the little bits like lock stops and things to
make it look tidy like making caps for the forks and steering stem .
These yokes are staying on this bike but I'm waiting for metal to make a spindle so I decided to crack on and
do all the spacers etc for the wheel on the VTR. Both sets of yokes are the same but the wheels are completely
different so all of the spacers and fasterners are different too.
I was nearly done on the last spacer when the Lathe lost a bush on one of the pulleys. I'll try and get one in the
morning or bodge it to run at a single speed so I can spin up another one or convert it to needle roller. I can't
complain about it, this Lathe has well exceeded the use it was designed for so it's due a bit of maintainance.
and all day today.
Its all been about getting the stuff to fit together and making all the little bits like lock stops and things to
make it look tidy like making caps for the forks and steering stem .
These yokes are staying on this bike but I'm waiting for metal to make a spindle so I decided to crack on and
do all the spacers etc for the wheel on the VTR. Both sets of yokes are the same but the wheels are completely
different so all of the spacers and fasterners are different too.
I was nearly done on the last spacer when the Lathe lost a bush on one of the pulleys. I'll try and get one in the
morning or bodge it to run at a single speed so I can spin up another one or convert it to needle roller. I can't
complain about it, this Lathe has well exceeded the use it was designed for so it's due a bit of maintainance.
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 139
From: Australia
You have amazing talents mate, and all of your creations are worth just sitting and staring at for hours. You are the sorta guy I would pay just to sit and talk with( and drink a box of beer) as you have a great mind. Keep up the innovative, captivating work mate!
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From: Liverpool, UK
Cheers mate, but proper engineers can do this stuff with one hand tied behind their back. I'm lucky to know a few fellas in the trade who are happy to give me advice about how to go about doing stuff. Failing that I just try and figure it out as I go. If you can imagine the part you need then it's easier to work out how to make it.
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SuperSport
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 987
From: Asheville, North Carolina
Hopefully -Not taken as being an ***.. Looking thru the thread, and admiring the metal fabrication, Creative design of the project. Yet the material thickness of all fabrication.. If the man gets it started, Hopefully it will stop, it is built like a TANK..
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From: Liverpool, UK
The tubing is 2.5mm wall and the frame on its own is suprisingly light. The Swing arm on the other hand weighs loads because there is a fair bit of reinforcment built in there.
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From: Liverpool, UK
Finally close to getting the front end back on this now. I'd nicked most of the bits for my GSXR chop but Andy gave me a pair of stanchions and with a spare pair of VTR lowers, I was able to cobble together enough bits to build the forks. They came out about 40mm longer than the other set but with the Yokes I got off Billetbrain it should work out ok when I drop it on the floor. Waiting on Clocks and Calipers to arrive now.
stew-uk
Squid
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1
From: Torquay Devon
Hi....
Joined this forum after seeing you creation, I'm looking to make my first frame in the near future using my VTR engine. Will be keeping it simple compared to you looking at a cafe racer style look. Just wondered what your using to replace air box as its quite a bulky item slapped on the top of the engine. I guess K&N individual filters will work but I haven't started stripping as yet and I believe there are other sensors in the air box to worry about.
Keep up the hard work and looking forward to seeing more pics
Stew
Joined this forum after seeing you creation, I'm looking to make my first frame in the near future using my VTR engine. Will be keeping it simple compared to you looking at a cafe racer style look. Just wondered what your using to replace air box as its quite a bulky item slapped on the top of the engine. I guess K&N individual filters will work but I haven't started stripping as yet and I believe there are other sensors in the air box to worry about.
Keep up the hard work and looking forward to seeing more pics
Stew
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From: Liverpool, UK
Hi Stew, sorry for the late reply.
As far as I know there were no sensors in the airbix on this 98 model.
If you look back a few pages in this thread you'll find the airbox I made. Basically it just holds 2 K&Ns at the side. My friend who also has a VTR custom has bee running his bike on my Airbox for over a year with no problems.
I made this one for him so I can get mine back. I'm affaid I haven't got any photos of the finished item but you'll get the idea.
As far as I know there were no sensors in the airbix on this 98 model.
If you look back a few pages in this thread you'll find the airbox I made. Basically it just holds 2 K&Ns at the side. My friend who also has a VTR custom has bee running his bike on my Airbox for over a year with no problems.
I made this one for him so I can get mine back. I'm affaid I haven't got any photos of the finished item but you'll get the idea.
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From: Liverpool, UK
I finally got my GSXR back on the road after a troublesome Paint job so now I have a bit of time to do some more on the VTR.
I've not got any photos of that one finished but here it is during the build up.
I've not got any photos of that one finished but here it is during the build up.
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From: Liverpool, UK
There is loads to do on this project and I've forgoten mostly where I was upto so I decided to have a go at what I concider the worst job. ....The Gas tank. This was the thing which nearly ended this bike 18 months ago.
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Squid
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 94
From: SF Bay
So amazing to discover this thread today and see the progress that has been made since its inception. The last few pieces always seem to be the hardest ones, but this beast look so close to hit the road again.
Wonderful job! keep it up!
Wonderful job! keep it up!
Old and dangerous
SuperSport
SuperSport
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 604
From: DFW Texas
Wow!
Just got through reading this whole thread with awe.
Amazing work, and such drama, lol. Beautiful bikes and wonderful talent you got there Trike.
Thanks for all the updates and pictures.
Just got through reading this whole thread with awe. Amazing work, and such drama, lol. Beautiful bikes and wonderful talent you got there Trike.Thanks for all the updates and pictures.
I loves me twins
Superstock
Superstock
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 380
From: Houston, TX
This photo is great. You got rusty fabbed tank parts, burly *** hammers, a spare vw wheel-vice contraption, pretty kandy painted tank, and a bottle of wine in an England coffee mug lol. That's so cool.
Anyway, I'm so glad to see this project is still moving. Trike, what are your plans to finish it? Paint or patina or something else?
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From: Liverpool, UK
Back on this one at last. I've really had enough of it hanging around no so I'm fitting yet another front end and going to push on and see if I can finish it this year.
I picked up an aftermarket USD fork kit at xmas for a good price and I had a wheel that I can make fit.
The Wheel had no hubs so I machined up a pair of Harley disc spacers to carry the Bearings and modified some discs I took off a Bike Crusty got for me.
I picked up an aftermarket USD fork kit at xmas for a good price and I had a wheel that I can make fit.
The Wheel had no hubs so I machined up a pair of Harley disc spacers to carry the Bearings and modified some discs I took off a Bike Crusty got for me.
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Squid
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 3
This is seriously impressive and I really hope you finish it! Also, not to sound creepy or anything but I was just looking at the pics and saw the back of that girl in the Thailand pics and thought, hey, she looks Thai. Then proceeded to read what you wrote and turns out I was right. Been in Thailand too long I guess, haha. If you don't mind me asking, where's your friend's shop? Could be good to know a builder in Thailand.
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From: Liverpool, UK
This is seriously impressive and I really hope you finish it! Also, not to sound creepy or anything but I was just looking at the pics and saw the back of that girl in the Thailand pics and thought, hey, she looks Thai. Then proceeded to read what you wrote and turns out I was right. Been in Thailand too long I guess, haha. If you don't mind me asking, where's your friend's shop? Could be good to know a builder in Thailand.
I know Bike Builders all over Thailand so might know one in your Village??
Tong, the guy in the back ground in a few of the photos is a brilliant fabricator and can easily out work me in sheet metal. His Shop is on the 226 as you drive into Surin from the east between the Honda Shop and the Big C.
Last edited by Trikeopath; Mar 12, 2013 at 09:46 AM.
